30 
BRITISH APHIDES. 
THE LEGS. 
AlthoHgli wingless Aphides rarely move far from the 
spot where they were born, many species possess very 
long and thin legs. Sometimes these are clothed with 
numerous fine hairs ; at other times they are smooth 
and naked. Some species have legs so short that they 
scarcely project beyond the circumference of their 
bodies. 
The fulcra are but little developed in this family, 
and often are difficult to distinguish at all. The 
coxce or hips have several forms, and exhibit different 
modes of rotation on their fulcra. This varied rota- 
tion has been adopted by Schiodte as a guide to the 
classification of the Rhynchota.^ 
The femora and tibice often much differ in their 
relative lengths and proportions. The latter occur 
either straight or curved, smooth or hirsute. 
The hind tibice of the oviparous females are often 
remarkably flattened, and sometimes tuberculate. This 
conformation probably assists her in fixing her eggs by 
their glutinous coats to the buds and twigs of trees. 
In by far the greater number of species we find the 
tibige terminating in a si ngle-jo inted tarsus, armed 
with two sharp and strong~cIws. JSTevertheless, in 
almost every instance, an obsolete second joint to the 
tarsus may be detected under a slight magnifying 
power. This joint becomes so pronounced and com- 
plete in its articulation in the Lachninaa and Pemphi- 
ginge, that it may be considered as a true second joint. 
The three pairs of legs, as before noticed, are fixed 
by their fulcra to the Pro-, the Meso-, and the Meta- 
sternum. The outer joints or tips of the femora 
(knees), tibiae, and tarsi are commonly darkly co- 
loured or shining black. 
The extensor and flexor muscles are well developed 
^ ScHodte, “ Naturhist. Tidsskrift,” 3 ser., vol. vi. Translated, 
‘ Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist.,’ 4 ser., vol. vi, pp. 222-249. 
